Questions

The black car returned to its new home, which it had only recently become familiar with.

The two returned to the apartment. As soon as Cheng Xiangwu opened the door, she smelled a strong odor of disinfectant, instantly bringing her home, which wasn't dirty but also far from sterile, closer to the atmosphere of a hospital. She paused, quickly changed her shoes, and went inside. She saw Gao Ersen gritting his teeth as he applied alcohol to a large abrasion on the outside of his calf. The abrasion was so wet that water was dripping onto the floor, but the water evaporated quickly without any chance to accumulate.

"Oh!" Golson, still sweating, greeted them with a smile, "You're back!"

The hand that was greeting him had a large patch of skin scraped off the palm and wrist, his arm was covered in bruises, and his arms and legs weren't much better. His right ankle was swollen and bruised.

Such injuries usually result from falls or collisions, but if they occur in this number and area on a single person, it is most likely a fight. Cheng Xiangwu looked at this high school student who was powerless and didn't know what had happened, but she didn't know how to ask.

"Actually, I did most of it myself. I haven't exercised in a long time, so my balance isn't what it used to be, hahaha—" Gorson stopped mid-sentence and said softly, "Sorry."

“…No need to apologize.” Cheng Xiangwu sighed, pulled up a chair and sat down to help treat the wound.

“Of course you have nothing to apologize for,” Little Franz said with a smile, sitting down on the other side and taking out his notebook. “Let’s talk about what you’ve learned.”

“Of course, cough cough.” Golson cleared his throat. “Although my inability to go home is probably the cats’ fault, that thing flying in the sky that day is obviously a big problem as well, and I felt that its attitude towards me was a bit strange that day, so I did some things.”

Inspiration is a game that can be tried countless times, but Golson knew he only had one life, so he made many plans in advance.

She borrowed a camera from Zhou Mi beforehand and hung it on her body to take pictures, but the result was that there was no result in either the picture or the sound. It seemed that there was a problem with the medium such as the network, signal or lens. The shooting result was quite choppy and distorted, with no information and a bit strange.

Fortunately, she can still broadcast manually.

“I think its appearance follows some kind of mechanism. For example, if there are people around me, it can’t really appear and take me away. At the same time, it will appear as long as there is no one around me.” Gorson calmly explained his thoughts, occasionally wincing in pain. “And it can communicate, and it has the desire to communicate.”

This morning, Golson found a rooftop of a bungalow in an alley near the market, set up a ladder, and began a wait of about two hours. Then, the cloaked figure, seemingly born of the sky, landed in front of her on the bustling rooftop where no one looked up.

“I saw Wang Qianqiu, a classmate of mine.” Gao Ersen sighed. “She hasn’t changed much, but she tried to advise me like Teacher Lu did. She got angry when I refused her. I asked her about her family, and she said it didn’t matter what. I asked her about her family’s attitude, and she said oh. I asked her about Teacher Lu, and she asked if he was dissatisfied with me? Hahaha, okay.”

Clearly, Wang Qianqiu was a rather impatient person. After answering a few questions, he was ready to make his move and arrest the person directly. However, Gorson, who was prepared, flipped over and slid down the ladder. The black shadow did not follow.

“…Okay, not so handsome. Actually, I almost got caught.” Golson touched his nose sheepishly. “I hurt my palm on the balcony railing back then. I should have worn gloves.”

Then, using the same trick again, the cloaked figure reappeared in the same spot as if it had never truly left.

"This time it was my math teacher, Ms. Ye Shu. She's a bit strict. She didn't say anything at first. To be honest, I felt a little guilty when I saw her. I used to rely on my good grades and not correct my mistakes, and she would just look at me like that, sigh," Gao Ersen said.

Ye Shu told Gorson very directly that they would keep trying to take her away until she died.

“…I asked her why, and her answer was strange. She said we are a whole, and only when we are complete do we have value. But when I thought about it, something didn’t make sense. How come there are people who aren’t from our school in that whole? So I asked her what value meant, and what exactly happened in that dream and in reality.” Golson paused here and said, “She said that as long as I keep up, I will know all the truth, and the truth has no meaning for outsiders. She must have known that I would definitely tell who I heard what, so she didn’t say much.”

Ye Shu asked a question, she asked—

"She asked me if I wasn't ready yet?" Gorson frowned, touching the back of his neck with his uninjured hand. "I don't know why, but I was startled and said I certainly didn't want to die. Then she asked me what I needed to prepare if I were just leaving this place and going to another place without regrets?"

Faced with that familiar face that wore a calm smile, Golson felt a chill run down his spine for some reason.

“I told her I didn’t want to go, that I was fine here, and asked if she could just leave me alone and let them go too,” Golson said. “Then I saw her come over and hold out her hand, so I immediately started climbing the ladder, but I lost my footing and fell down, ouch—”

Cheng Xiangwu tightened the bandage securing her ankle and tied it in a bow. "This foot can't bear any weight for the next few days."

"Okay, thank you, sister." Golson nodded. "Then too many people came to see me, so I didn't go back and took a car back."

"I suppose those passersby didn't praise your bravery; they only glanced at your wounds," Little F said as he wrote.

“Just tell me if you want to go next time,” Cheng Xiangwu said.

Golson waved his hand and said, "Oh, it was still early then. There wasn't much to do in the car, except some people asked—"

"I'm talking about what you did." Cheng Xiangwu bent down to bandage her calf.

This sentence gradually quieted the space down, leaving only the rustling of writing and the clattering of cloth strips. These sounds, which could be described and recalled, kept one's gaze fixed on the ground, so that one would not look at or think about things in the sky.

“…Sorry,” Golson simply said. “I should have worn more clothes and brought some knee pads or something.”

“Don’t apologize to me.” Cheng Xiangwu paused after saying that, “But you’re right.” Then she stood up and walked towards the bedroom.

If you know you live in a busy area, it's best to wear earplugs before going to bed.

"Based on your description, you did not encounter any individual consciousness named 'Lu Que' during this operation, nor did you see your conversation partner change in front of you." Xiao Fu began the questioning session.

“Yes.” Golson nodded. “Wang Qianqiu’s attitude was that the teacher was fine, but he didn’t say it explicitly.”

"Based on your judgment, is the existence of this entity urgent in its goal of 'taking you away'?" Little Fran asked.

“I think so, at least Teacher Lu and Wang Qianqiu seem quite anxious.” Gao Ersen frowned in thought, “But maybe it’s just because they found out I was playing them, so they’re angry?”

"In your opinion, is there any similarity between their individual disregard for their relatives and the behavior of the victim's family?" Xiao Fu asked.

“Regarding this,” Gorson paused for a moment, then said hesitantly, “I think it’s different. My parents are unwilling to accept me because they have ‘accepted the facts,’ but Wang Qianqiu doesn’t care about the facts at all. She and the teacher both know what happened and know that it’s definitely not normal, but they just don’t care.”

“…I understand.” Little Ferdinand wrote and drew. “Tell me your observations about the cloak.”

“I think it looks a bit like a chameleon’s skin? But if it can change size, it’s definitely different. I think the cloak is very light, and the end looks sticky,” Golson recalled. “But I really don’t know where those black shadows came from, even though it’s broad daylight.”

"What do you mean by sticky?" Little F asked.

"It feels very viscous, like it's about to drip." Gorson picked up a cotton pad completely soaked in alcohol from the table, tugged at the top and shook it, and a few drops of alcohol dripped from the heavy bottom.

"...How does it compare to what you saw last time?" Little Fer asked thoughtfully.

“I didn’t really see much at the time, but I felt that its cloak was, well, a bit sturdier that time,” Golson said.

“That’s really strange,” Little Fran said with a laugh. “The cloak is made of a metallic ore. The changes that are visible to the naked eye are just optical illusions. It shouldn’t melt at room temperature. It’s just a matter of common sense.”

"Ore?" Golson was taken aback. "Why would it wear ore on its body?"

“Because an individual cannot walk without a body,” Little F sighed. “But those people have long lost their voice here, so I think that cloak is not clothing to cover the body, but a kind of weight. Those three-digit souls share a sense of existence, a weight, a feeling. How foolish and magnificent, it is understandable that they are worshipped.”

As she said this, she didn't seem to have any intention of developing a new faith on the spot.

“…I don’t understand.” Golson frowned, unable to figure it out. “What you’re saying is too profound. If I were a professional, I probably would understand it, but right now I just feel like I don’t understand anything.”

“That’s enough for you, and besides, the overall progress of this research isn’t exactly ‘clear’.” Little F closed the notebook. “Thank you for your unique contribution to the progress; it’s invaluable and meaningful. You did a great job.”

“…Oh.” Golson’s face flushed. “Well, it’s obvious that thing is here to catch me. If I keep hiding, it won’t be able to catch me.”

As she said this, she slowly began to laugh.

“This overly purposeful hunting behavior is also unusual; at least in the overall case, it is a uniquely visible phenomenon. In my previous observations, this phenomenon usually does not reach this scale, so it is clearly abnormal.” Little F paused here, then continued, “It is aberration.”

"Is there anything normal?" Golson asked.

“Although it’s not a living organism, you can think of it as a caterpillar before it pupates. The purpose of walking is to eat and obtain nutrition, which is its soul. Observations from previous cases have pointed to this analogy being quite apt,” Xiao Fu explained with a smile. “But a pupa this fat would probably not be able to produce a healthy adult; it’s practically the best candidate for a display specimen!”

"If the larvae eat people, what must the adults be like?" Gorsen frowned, clearly not an insect enthusiast. "Sister Xiangxiang even tried to kill it with a knife last time, but she couldn't. Can we really handle it?"

“This phenomenon is not common. Based on my observations so far, I can only confirm that its occurrence is not affected by human behavior. Therefore, in the few times I've encountered it, no clues leading to the source have been left. Perhaps this time will be different.” Little Franz did not give a definite answer.

"What happened to those before them?" Golson asked in a low voice.

"Nature is like a natural disaster, leaving some scars on the earth before disappearing without a trace," said Little Franz.

“…Is that so?” Golson fell into thought.

After searching through the room, Cheng Xiangwu pulled out a heavy metal box from her suitcase, carried it back to the restaurant, and placed it on the disinfectant-smelling table, which was no longer suitable for use as a dining table.

After entering the password, the cover flipped open, revealing one of the reasons why she could not board transportation that required scanning for security checks.

“Take this with you at all times, and you should find somewhere to hang it up.” She took out two black cylinders about the size of a thumb and handed them to Golson. The tops were sealed with silver buckles and hung with iron rings.

"Thank you! What is this, an alarm?" Gorson happily took it and held it in his palm, shaking it a couple of times to feel its weight. "It's quite heavy."

"Rioting grenades," Cheng Xiangwu explained.

“…This, me?” Golson’s hand froze in mid-air, his empty hand pointing to his blank expression.

"This is the safety lock." Cheng Xiangwu took out another lock and demonstrated how to open it. "After opening it here, pull the ring outwards forcefully—"

"Please lock it back!" Golson exclaimed in alarm. "Please, sister, take your finger off that!"

"In short, throw it out within five seconds after pulling it out. If there's no cover, crouch down with your back to the ground and cover your eyes and ears, but keep your mouth open." Cheng Xiang put the lock back on. "Understood?"

Even if it cannot harm that being, the huge commotion will attract many people.

“…I understand.” Golson nodded several times. “I will never become a terrorist.”

“You can’t decide your own identity.” As he spoke, Xiao Fu approached the dangerous jewelry box that reflected light spots indoors. Just as he reached out to pick through it, the entire box was taken away.

“You are a terrorist,” Cheng Xiangwu said, holding the box.

“Since you already know, then accept it.” Little F extended his palm. “I saw the caliber. Even a 22mm caliber used for pest control would be barely enough. You don’t need it anyway, so please give it to me.”

Assassins are usually armed, but when Cheng Xiangwu fires at a distance of more than ten meters, it's a true test of luck for both sides.

“…Remember to install a silencer.” Cheng Xiangwu put the box back on the table.

“Of course, whoever the target is.” Little Fu pushed aside the person standing in front of the box and began to criticize the contents of the jewelry box. “How come it really is? This caliber is equipped with a scope and an auxiliary magazine. Your company really likes to package scraps.”

Golson moved her chair closer to look, but she didn't touch it.

Although the toolbox was standard equipment provided by the company, Cheng Xiangwu still inexplicably felt like her bag was being searched, and she even opened the lock herself.

"□□, syringe gun, why are there so many guns? They're useless to you except for the magazines themselves, right?" Little Fu pulled things out one by one like he was rummaging through a bag, even pulling two silver rings from the lid and waving them in the air. "And why are there handcuffs too?"

"Don't ask me." Cheng Xiangwu didn't know and had never used them. "You can't bring these with you tomorrow. There are security gates at the city hall entrance."

"How could I not know?" Little F looked at Goulson, "Tomorrow your sister Xiangxiang is going to be a reporter. If things go smoothly, she'll be on TV. If things don't go smoothly, she'll still be on TV."

“…Go for it, sis, I believe in you.” Gorson said to Cheng Xiangwu, then added, “Really.”

"Hmm." Cheng Xiangwu had nothing to say.

Before going to sleep, Cheng Xiangwu lay flat on her back, staring at the ceiling with her eyes open. She had gotten used to what Gorson would say to her every night before bed.

"Sister Xiangxiang," Gao Ersen said as promised, "Are you going to interview that mayor tomorrow?"

“Mm,” Cheng Xiangwu replied.

“…If we have a chance to meet, I do have a lot of things I want to ask her. Hey, you're making it sound like we're close, even though we've never met before,” Goulson said.

“She really should answer a lot of your questions,” Cheng Xiangwu said.

“Right?” Golson smiled. “But now I’ve thought of a problem.”

"Hmm?" Cheng Xiangwu responded.

"Sister Xiangxiang, do you not have any business attire to wear?" Gao Ersen asked.

Cheng Xiangwu sat up.

Vests, hoodies, a bunch of identical turtlenecks, sweatpants, joggers, shorts, and a fur-trimmed coat hanging in the living room.

She didn't even have a shirt, let alone a tie.

"Should we go buy them now?" Golson asked, watching the clothes being pulled out one by one. "Or should we ask Sister Ferf? But I don't think you can wear her clothes; the size is a bit off."

Racial differences are often reflected in the details.

“…I’ll ask her.” Cheng Xiangwu felt that the details didn’t matter; as long as she had a collared shirt for business activities, that would be fine.

Pushing open the bedroom door, a narrow gap under the study illuminated the living room with a floor light. Cheng Xiangwu knocked on the door of the room she had never used before. Her footsteps approached slowly. When the door opened, Xiao Fu was still wearing a shirt.

"I'm looking forward to the jokes in front of the city hall tomorrow," she said with a laugh.

"Do you have any extra shirts?" Cheng Xiangwu asked.

“Alright, at least you asked me instead of just rummaging through my closet.” Little F walked out of the study. “As a polite guest, I can ask those people for their opinions for you.”

First up is a long-pointed collar Tencel French style, pure black with gold cuff knots, the fabric draping smoothly to the waistline.

"How magnificent!" Golson exclaimed in high praise.

"I can't wear it." Cheng Xiangwu felt like she was going to be strangled.

“Of course, this is my favorite piece, just for display.” Little F casually hung it back on the hanger.

Secondly, there's a cotton-linen stand-up collar with small round buttons, straw-colored with round sleeves, and gathered cuffs.

“With suspenders, he’ll look a bit like a detective,” Golson mused.

"Do you have any with a looser collar?" Cheng Xiang asked.

"Guess why business attire is designed like this?" Little F kindly explained, "So that people can faint at any time if needed."

Next is the wing collar chiffon with metal buttons, vertical grass green pinstripes, and long cuffs with four buttons.

“It looks familiar,” Goulson said.

"Isn't this the one you wore?" Cheng Xiangwu asked.

“Every single one,” Little F said. “If you’re still not satisfied, then kill yourself.”

"And that one?" Cheng Xiang pointed to the white cotton shirt that was neatly folded and placed on the bedside table, with a rather generous neckline.

“Those are my pajamas,” said Little F.

"Lend me your pajamas." Cheng Xiangwu held out her palm, thinking that as long as it had a collar, it would be fine.

"So, what should I wear to keep warm tonight? The 22mm one?" Little Fran asked.

"Then lend it to me tomorrow morning." Cheng Xiangwu withdrew her hand and said, "It's settled, I'm going to sleep now."

After saying that, she went back to her bedroom without looking back, and the sound of her pulling the covers over her head proved that she was already lying down comfortably.

“…Sister Fufu, I saw that Sister Xiangxiang has a lot of short-sleeved shirts that she can wear as pajamas,” Gorsen whispered.

"Are you implying that I can take a snake and strangle you all in the middle of the night without the police noticing?" Little Franz asked.

"Sis, I'm going to bed." Gorson quickly walked back to his bedroom and said goodnight across the living room before closing the door.

The weather cleared up on the day of the press conference, but as usual, the sky was shrouded in fog in the early morning. The cool, damp air squeezed into the open balcony doors of early risers, colliding with the aroma of breakfast tea.

Today's breakfast tea was mixed with green tea.

Cheng Xiangwu put on the cotton shirt; the soft fabric clung comfortably to her skin, wrinkled and soft. After thinking for a moment, she wore a long-sleeved undershirt underneath to prevent the city hall's air conditioning from being too low, and then tucked the shirt hem into her black trousers.

"My goodness, Xiangxiang, you look like a fresh graduate going for a job interview," Gao Ersen exclaimed. "And Fufu is like the HR person who brings coffee to work."

“I will seriously consider your intention to wear pajamas to the interview.” Little Fran put down her teacup, the jewels on her lapel sparkling, she was as dignified as ever.

"That's good enough." Cheng Xiangwu hung up her press pass, and the blank space was filled with keywords.

Reporters must arrive at the venue two hours before the press conference begins and queue for security checks with their press passes.

The Moriko City government compound includes not only offices and meeting rooms for civil servants, but also offices for the city police and the mayor. The fire station is nearby, as is a public service center that is open to the public for limited hours each day. There are also occasional events in the plaza in front of the gate.

The three-story, white-walled house with its pointed roof, which has no design sense whatsoever, is separated from the rooms by single-leaf glass doors. Two carved pillars stand in front of the glass door of the main entrance on the first floor as a signpost. Further ahead, there is a fountain that is not spraying water. A layer of non-artificial green belt floats on the pool. The artificial part is erected around the stone wall, with a piece of electrified wire mesh on top.

Further ahead, staff at the entrance were scanning visiting reporters with detectors. Because their carry-on luggage was too simple, the two were pulled ahead to go through security first.

However, there was a minor hiccup.

"A foreigner?" The security guard looked at Xiao Fu's press pass and face with suspicion. "When did this agency hire a foreigner? I remember this agency—"

"...You can't judge my identity just because of my facial features; that's serious discrimination," Xiao Fu said. "Are all the security personnel at your city hall this kind of person?"

"Uh, no." The security guard was taken aback by the large hat. "Alright, never mind, you can go."

"I'll reserve my opinion," Little Fran said before leaving.

"All you're missing is a body camera." Cheng Xiangwu turned around and followed.

After entering the city hall, there is an upward staircase in front of you, but the reporters have to enter the tiered conference room on the second floor through a side door, so this main road is not theirs.

The first floor houses the city government offices. At this moment, the closed doors are silent inside and out, with only the marble floor tiles reflecting the light, welcoming the visitors who are wearing shoes and playing tap dancing. On the right side of each door hangs an animal crayon drawing labeled with the artist and their school. Most of the drawings require considerable effort just to understand the animal species, and the occasional medal is frighteningly neat.

Going up the stairs from the corner, the stairwell turns and continues upwards. A large, vermilion door, its entrance blocked by a combination of wooden chairs and cardboard boxes, opens up. Inside, a light wood-colored hall descends into a space that looks quite warm. At the end of the stairs is a vermilion podium, backed by a red wave-like curtain with an extremely high saturation. The space between the podium and the podium is currently empty.

After receiving the gray-green news agency nameplates from the staff, the two walked down to find an upscale front-row seat.

“Here I can be spared from those mundane thoughts.” Little F found a corner seat in the front row, sat down, and looked around. “Let me hear the politicians’ unspeakable vulgar thoughts that I haven’t heard in a long time.”

Some of the reporters who were already seated nearby cast subtle glances of approval upon hearing this.

"Is the presence of outside police officers patrolling the streets related to public security issues...?" Cheng Xiangwu began reciting the question in advance and steered the conversation in a more specific direction.

"Could you please repeat your question?" Little F asked, frowning from his corner seat. His voice was firm. "This reporter colleague, please speak louder and don't waste everyone's time. Next."

"...Will it affect the college entrance examination?" Cheng Xiangwu silently finished asking the question.

"The mayor is bullying a local news agency intern; not bad." Little Fu nodded in satisfaction.

As time went on, colleagues carrying photography equipment entered the venue one after another, and the unspoken competition made the gaps between the steps crowded.

A woman wearing a light-colored trench coat with a large lapel placed her name tag next to Cheng Xiangwu's microphone. The sound of the paper hitting the table was inexplicably crisper than the noise brought by other reporters. She left the double-breasted coat open along with the belt, lifted the hem, and sat down. She crossed her legs and crossed her arms, looking every bit the troublemaker.

Sensing the gaze, Cheng Xiangwu turned her head and bumped into a face with disheveled hair from her hurried arrival but full of anticipation. The person didn't shy away, just smiled and nodded before turning away, showing no intention of communicating with her tablemate or competitor.

Although the name is not visible, the person's name tag is colorless, clearly indicating that they are a freelance journalist.

The meeting room was initially in chaos with people and equipment, but as the empty slots behind the nameplates on the vermilion podium were filled one by one, the meeting room gradually quieted down on its own.

The last person to sit down was the owner of the middle seat. Gu Wanqiu looked much like the tall, thin speaker on TV. The top wooden button of her high-necked shirt, which restricted her breathing, was tightly fastened, and her cold expression revealed no emotion whatsoever. Her rectangular glasses reflected the light, obscuring her lowered and raised eyes.

This is Gu Wanqiu, the mayor of Senhu City and the victim's lawyer who appeared in court twice in the Wuxianglou fire case. He doesn't seem very approachable.

She sat down, nodded to the staff backstage, and the meeting officially began.

The theme of this conference was to accept suggestions based on the questions raised and to provide future plans. Unlike the typical Q&A program where participants sit face-to-face on a single sofa and chat while switching between camera angles, the main content of this press conference had been prepared in advance and placed in written form on the vermilion podium.

So all the humans behind the paper had to do was read it aloud with great expression, but Gu Wanqiu wasn't even willing to do that. Her tone was severely lacking in its ability to soothe people, and her facial expressions were poorly controlled. She read each word and each paragraph with great emphasis, as if every question on the paper would cause the sky to fall.

"Due to classroom environmental pollution caused by highly infectious substances, we have decided, after consulting with the principal of Senhu No. 2 Middle School, to temporarily relocate the high school teaching building to the new building. As for the resulting delays in teaching progress and campus environmental issues, Professor Wang from the Education and Sports Bureau will explain and provide suggestions." Gu Wanqiu finished speaking, put down the paper, and gave the proposer a nod of approval without even glancing at them.

"It is an honor for me to be here to explain to you why this issue deserves our attention, how we should view it, and how we should properly handle it." Professor Wang took over the conversation and began to introduce the "Short-term Environmental Management Plan for Senhu No. 2 Middle School" in his hand with great enthusiasm. He would occasionally look up and scan the camera, occasionally use gestures, and know how to add pauses and emphasis at just the right places.

“Okay, thank you for your suggestion.” Gu Wanqiu quickly turned to the next page. “Next, please let Director Wu of the Senhu City Education Bureau speak and express his views and suggestions on the future development of Senhu No. 2 Middle School and other public middle schools.”

"First, please allow me to express my apologies to those affected by the pollution problem at No. 2 Middle School of Senhu Lake. It was a blow that no one could have foreseen, and I deeply sympathize with and regret it. At the same time, I also encourage everyone to face future challenges with a positive attitude." Director Wu gripped the microphone, his brows furrowed as he expressed his emotions. His deep voice inspired the audience who might be interested in the matter through the screen, and he passionately read out his vision for a bright future and various campus improvement plans.

Improvement, advancement, challenges—the conference's theme was all about the present and the future, and every expert seemed optimistic about Senhu City's future, all with smiles on their faces, except for Gu Wanqiu. After each speaker's remarks, applause erupted, and the mayor announced the start of the Q&A session, with reporters raising their hands.

Arms stood tall, especially those in the front row.

"Education News Agency," Gu Wanqiu called out after scanning the room.

"How can students taking the college entrance examination in Senhu City this year avoid being affected?" A question came from behind. Cheng Xiangwu was stunned. Why did this question sound so familiar?

But not long after he finished speaking, Director Wu picked up the microphone and took responsibility for the problem.

When the time for answering ended, Cheng Xiangwu quickly raised her hand to avoid leaving no other question to ask. Her deskmate in the light-colored trench coat also quickly raised her hand. She was still leaning against the back of her chair, only her arm was stretched out high and straight.

"Senhu News Agency," Gu Wanqiu called out, her gaze sweeping over them.

The voice and gaze were no different from the previous question, so Cheng Xiangwu didn't think the other person recognized her. She cleared her throat, leaned closer to the microphone, and loudly uttered the half-question she had prepared in advance: "Recently, residents have frequently seen outside police officers patrolling the streets. Is this related to previous public security issues?"

After the question was posed, no one immediately answered because without the second half as a summary, the question no longer seemed relevant to the meeting about the educational environment.

Seeing that no one spoke, Xiao Fu was about to step forward and ask some questions, risking the red flag behavior of a press conference reporter, when the answer came.

"The law enforcement officers who recently visited Senhu City were indeed there to strengthen local security. We sincerely thank the police department for providing necessary assistance to Senhu City, whose public security system is not yet fully developed. However, public security issues require long-term and stable solutions, and we will not rely entirely on the temporary assistance of outsiders." Gu Wanqiu looked at the questioner, "We will do our part for our hometown in our own way."

“…Thank you for your answer.” Before Cheng Xiangwu could finish speaking, the next round of raising hands began.

After many rounds of questions and answers, the opportunity finally came to the arm that made a whooshing sound as it thrust upwards each time.

“This freelance journalist,” Gu Wanqiu called out.

"I hope the mayor can answer my question." The freelance journalist locked onto his target. "There are reports that BaiBai Limited has repeatedly used public resources to cover up various external conflicts and to seek private gain for the company. For example, there was a recent case about a retired miner who died unexpectedly after receiving compensation from the company. Unsurprisingly, the public was completely unaware of this, but I believe you are definitely in the know?"

Before the person being questioned could even express their opinion, a commotion erupted in the meeting room. The camera, taking on its responsibility, instinctively aimed at the freelance reporter who was still leaning back in her folding chair, and followed her gaze to Gu Wanqiu.

Flashbulbs went off one after another inside, but they didn't affect the freelance journalist in the slightest. She didn't even blink, acting like a superstar. Cheng Xiangwu, sitting next to her, had never experienced such intense attention and had no intention of being treated like a scrap of top-tier food. She subtly moved to the seat next to her, the movement so imperceptible that it looked like an insignificant mistake in drawing.

"I will not answer questions that are irrelevant to this meeting and have no value," Gu Wanqiu said without even blinking. "Next."

"Whether the answer is valuable or not should always be decided by the audience. Are you going to deprive the public of this right?" The freelance journalist remained calm and had no intention of becoming the previous spokesperson.

“Before you say that, make sure you’re asking a question, not just using it to grab attention.” Gu Wanqiu didn’t even look at the person. “No more questions?”

"Obviously everyone wants you to answer my questions," the freelance journalist said.

"This concludes the press conference. Thank you all for your participation. May Senhu City usher in a brighter future thanks to your efforts." Gu Wanqiu said, standing up. "Please take your trash with you before you leave. See you next time."

After she finished speaking, she shook hands with everyone still sitting behind the stage and left from backstage.

At this moment, Cheng Xiangwu also subtly moved to Xiao Fu's side, finally able to breathe a sigh of relief.

"How is it?" Cheng Xiangwu unbuttoned a button, looked up and found Xiao Fu frowning.

“…I can’t hear any of Miss Gu Wanqiu’s thoughts.” Xiao Fu said after a moment of silence, “Even when she answers questions, or even when she responds to the freelance reporter’s questions, she doesn’t reveal any of her thoughts.”

The surroundings were noisy. It seemed that some people wanted to interview the freelance journalist but couldn't keep up with her. Several people carrying cameras rushed out of the door but failed to stop anyone, so they started whispering among themselves.

"You mean she's actually a cyborg?" Cheng Xiang asked five times. Modern artificial intelligence does answer questions accurately and quickly, but the difference is that Gu Wanqiu seems unwilling to provide emotional value.

“If that’s the case, things will be simpler.” Little F sighed, stood up and looked down at the one-time reporter who had lost his job after his internship. “In any case, let’s take our time to explore his thoughts. Reporters should leave now.”

Cheng Xiangwu didn't say anything, but stood up and raised her hand to remove the rope that had been snagging her neck. The wound had scabbed over after she woke up this morning, but it often itched inside and out.

Just then, she suddenly noticed a dark figure emerging from the corner of her vision. It was a person dressed in understated business attire, wearing a dark navy cap with the brim pressing down on her curly hair and dark skin. Her face looked unfriendly due to her natural features and acquired seriousness. She walked steadily and quickly, and after exiting through the back door reserved for speakers, she walked towards the two of them with a clear purpose.

Judging from the way he walked and his build, Cheng Xiangwu judged that this person was probably a security guard or someone's bodyguard. She then looked at Xiao Fu and remembered the little incident when she entered earlier. She quickly realized something, squeezed past Xiao Fu, and took a step forward to meet the fast-paced person face to face.

"You go first," Cheng Xiangwu said, turning her head slightly and lowering her voice. "We'll meet outside."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Fu gave a slightly disgusted look.

"Excuse me, I actually heard you." The quick-stepper stopped and spoke, his hands behind his back as he looked at the two from the shadow of his hat brim. His voice was a little hoarse. "But don't worry, I'm not here to cause trouble."

“…Oh.” Cheng Xiangwu straightened her press card as she spoke. Her internship had just ended, and she hadn’t had time to turn the volume back to normal.

“I’m Mayor Gu’s bodyguard, don’t worry.” The man repeated his words of reassurance, but usually this approach was less effective because of the shadows around her eyes. “Hello, reporters from Senhu News Agency. Mayor Gu said that the question you just raised was very constructive, so she hopes to discuss the answer to that question with you privately.”

"The mayor privately met with a local newspaper intern to discuss city safety issues?" Xiao Fu asked.

"Yes, that's right." The man nodded, seemingly understanding only a fraction of the question, but his actions were decisive.

"Is it the one I just brought up?" Cheng Xiangwu asked, puzzled. She herself didn't think the question was constructive.

“Yes.” The man nodded quickly. “Please come to the mayor’s office.”

“…We will go,” Cheng Xiangwu said, adding that some questions could only be asked in person.

“No, only you,” the man said after a moment’s thought, “because it was you who raised the question.”

This sentence suddenly made Cheng Xiangwu feel guilty for copying his deskmate's answers and getting a higher score than his deskmate.

"Alright, it seems you can't come up with a reason that can convince me." Xiao Fu walked to the side and looked at Cheng Xiangwu, saying, "Then please take good notes. As your colleague, I'm really looking forward to the big news this exclusive interview will bring to our company."

"I'll try my best." Cheng Xiangwu looked away.